Clothes-line prop.



No. 656,053 Patented Aug. l4, I900. W.. T. SHAFFER.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NiTE STATES WILLIAM T. sH rFER, OF EVA-NSTON, WYOMING.

CLOTHES-:LINE PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 656,053, dated August 14,1900.

Application filed September 13, 1899. Serial No. 730,303. (No model.)

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ev-- anston, in the county of Uinta and State of Wyoming,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Props;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved adj ustable clothes-line prop; andthe object is to simplify and improve the construction and increase theconvenience and utility of the device.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of the same, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, andparticularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate thesame parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im proved clothes-line prop as itappears when housed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the propasit appears when extended. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken at aright angle to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a' horizontal transversesectional view taken on the line 00 0a in Fig. 2.

1 denotes the pointed base which rests upon the ground, and it is formedwith the longi tndinal parallelflarms 2 and 3, which are con nected neartheir upper ends by the strapbraces 4 4 to preservetheir parallelism andwhich also serve as guides for the extensionbar 5, which has a slidingengagement between the arms 2 and 3. The inner end of the bar 5 isprovided with a guide-plate 6,

- which is secured in place by pins 6 and overlaps the arms and isformed with an integral thumb-piece 7 for manipulating the bar. Theopposite side of the bar 5 is also provided with a guide-plate 6, whichis also secured in place by pins 6 One side of said bar 5 is formed witha series of ratchet-shaped notches 8 8, the front edge of the upper wallof each of which isprevented from wear by a staple 9, inserted flushwith the face of the bar and in the path of a spring-pawl 10, fixed inthe base-arm 2. The free end of this pawl extends through a recess orslot 12 in the arm 2 and terminates in an eye 13 for convenientlywithdrawing the pawl when it is desired to retract the bar 5. Bothguideplates 6 and 6 are of the same construction except that theguide-plate 6 is provided with a thumb-piece. The outer end of this bar5 is formed with a V-shaped notch 14 to receive the clothes-line andwith a spring-keeper 15,

the bill 16 of which extends over the line and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

or slot, 12, extending entirely through the integral arm, 2, near theupper end of the latter; the spring-pawl, 10, having an integral armextending outwardly through said recess or slot, 12, and terminating inan integral eye, 13; and the extension-bar, 5, provided near its lowerend on its opposite exposed faces with the guide-plate, 6, provided withan integral thumb-piece, 7; and a guideplate, 6, directly opposite saidguide-plate, 6, said plates, 6 and 6, being secured to saidextension-bar, 5, by pins, 6 driven through said guide-plates,6, 6,intosaid extension-bar; the V-shaped notch, 14, in the upper end of theextension-bar, 5; the spring, 15, having the bill-shaped keeper, 16,arranged to operate in conjunction with said notch, 14, and

the ratchet-shaped notches, 8, provided with wear-staples, 9, to engagethe point of the spring-pawl, 10, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM 'I. SI-IAFFER. Witnesses:

JAMES BROWN, ALEX NIsBEr.

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